Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-10-08
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1Eonzos,s journey to olis-Anarsu jack
s1n's TEp nom EaahVuEs TO Wash
taston.
The custom Of taking long ezcur-
sions through the country by Presi-
dents Is mach older than is generally
believed, Says the Philadelphia Press.
Washington had seen pretty much all
OF the Union north OF the Carolinas
before he became President; and both
j Ohn Adams and his SON John Quincy
Adams, were great travellers for their
time. Mr.. Jefferson and Mr.. Madison
however, seldom were long away from
the capital, and their longest trips
were those made to their country seats
in Virginia.
President Monroe was the first to
conceive the idea Of making an ex-
tensive journey through the States
while President, and he undertook,
during one Of the long vacations, to
travel nOrthWard through New En-
gland and then westward as far as
Ohio. 1t was a tedious journey to
make, far more so than an excursion to
Oregon would now be. Steamboats,
were Just beginning to ply some Of the
rivers, and most Of the turnpikes were
badly kept Mr.. Monroe travelled in
his own coach II very simple manner.
No special invitations were extended to
him, but he was cordially received
everywhere, and was the first Presi-
dent that a great majority of the Ameri-
can people ever saw. The sight of a
live President was far rarer at that
time than it now is. Wherever MIR.
Monroe stopped great crowds gathered
from miles around to see him, and his
summer journey was the great sensa'
ton of that year.
Andrew Jackson was driven in his
own carriage over the fine national
road, or Cumberland road, as it was
called, from Nashville to Washington,
some six hundred miles, when he went
to assume the Presidency. He was ex-
ceedingly fond of driving, and he kept
a fine stud. When he proposed to take
a summer jaunt into New England, the
nameless opposition - for the term
Wing had not then been adopted
raised a great cry, which seemed only
the more firmly to determine Old
Hickory to go. He had never been in
New England, or, indeed anywhere IN
the North. The report that he was to
visit those portions Of the country ere
ated the greatest excitement every
where, and great preparations were
made to receive him. He rode in fine
style in his own coach, and, it IS said,
on several occasions six horses were at
tached to it. All along the country
roads people gathered, many of them
waiting patiently to see him pass.
Andy Johnson was the first Of recent
Presidents to make a long Journey
through the country. This was done
not because of any special invitation,
but of his own wish. Whether the
speeches that he delivered during that
trip from the open carriage in which
he was driven through many large
towns were in contemplation when he
quilted Washington or not is not
known. But they were delivered upon
the slightest opportunity, and were so
personal and so freely discussed public
affairs as to excite the widest atten-
ton. A thing like this had never been
done before and never since. johnson
turned his back on that unwritten law
of the White House that requires
whatever communication Presidents
have to make to the people to be
guardedly and most digniiedly done
in writing. JohnsOn's excursion was
not a pure pleasure trip. He meant
business. He wished to explain his
policy, though this method of doing it
was against the advice of his best
friends.
Grant was a great traveller. He was
passiOnately fond of travel, and he was
most democratic in his manner of
travelling. After the war and during
his incumbency of the Presidency he
visited almost every part of the Union.
/ The Pullman parlOr-car was Just be-
ginning to be used on the railways, and
Grants favorite place was IN the rear
near the window, from which he was
accustomed to look upon the country
with a most Observant eye. Recep-
lions were a bore to him, and once,
when on a visit to New Haven, it was
with considerable difficulty that he
could be induced to leave a seat under
a tree in the yard Of the late Henry
| Farnham, where he was smoking a
| cigar and chatting with delightful in
fOrmality, to attend a great reception
where many thousands were waiting
for him.
"At all events" said he, "let me
smoke another cigar before 1 60.
Hayes was a good deal of a traveller,
and, except Grant, was the only Presi-
dent to visit the Pacific slope.
Gen. Arthur was fond of travel, but
| abhOrred public receptions. His two
| prolonged trips, one into the wilds OF
/ Florida and the other into the Yellow
/ stone Park, were made as privately as
/ it was possible to do it. And he
! greatly enjoyed the freedom from con,
Ventional restraints of dress and Gus
| toms.